Total Outside Spending by Election Cycle, Excluding Party Committees

The chart below shows spending by outside groups in three categories: independent expenditures, electioneering communications and communication costs.
As the chart makes clear, the 2004 election marked a watershed moment in the use of independent expenditures to try to sway
voters, with most of that new spending coming from the national party committees. The 2010 election marks the rise of a new
political committee, dubbed "super PACs," and officially known as "independent-expenditure only committees," which can raise
unlimited sums from corporations, unions and other groups, as well as wealthy individuals.

Super PACs may overtly advocate for
the defeat or election of federal candidates. In addition to super PACs and regular political action committees (which raise
money via contributions capped at $5,000 per year), special interest groups also have other vehicles at their disposal to influence
elections and policy. These include 527 organizations registered with the Internal Revenue Service and 501(c) nonprofits, which
aren't primarily supposed to be involved in politics, but are allowed limited political activity. 501(c) groups must also register
with the IRS, but do not have to publicly disclose their donors.

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